In the 1978 Super Bowl the sure handed TE Jackie Smith dropped an easy toss from Quarterback Roger Staubach thereby costing the Dallas Cowboys 7 points and eventually the Super Bowl. In the 1984 Cotton Bowl Classic Craig Curry dropped a punt with 4:00 minutes remaining which resulted in the Georgia Bulldogs scoring the only touchdown of the game and costing the Texas Longhorns the National Championship. In the 1986 World Series the normally sure handed Bill Buckner watched in horror as a seemingly easy grounder lazily rolled between his legs allowing the NY Mets to rally and eventually win the World Series. In Jan 2010 the New Orleans Saints trailed the Indianapolis Colts at half time. On the ensuing kickoff at the beginning of the 3rd Quarter an on-side kick bounced off the hands of Wide Receiver and Special Teams player Hank Basket setting up the Saints go ahead touchdown. So with this plethora of infamous examples I should feel a bit reprieved and cut myself so slack after I flubbed not 1 or 2 but 3 kicks on Saturday versus the Schamburg Woodsmen.
I played respectably after being inserted as the Left-Wing during the second half. I made a couple of receptions and forwarded the ball aggressively but missed an opportunity to pass. When I finally did make a pass attempt, I launched it over the head of the scrumhalf and in front of the Fly-Half. Luckily, it made a good bounce into the hands of the Fly-Half who moved the ball down the pitch. The weather was miserable and I could excuse the drops on the sleet. snow, rain and cold that accompanied the day; but the fact is I saw the ball clearly, I positioned myself properly, and I watched the ball all the way into and out of my hands. I just plain dropped the damn thing...three times. One of my teammates after the game understated my performance when he said, "Well, at least you know what you need to focus on during next practice." The worse part of the whole affair is that my last flub allowed the Woodsmen to have the ball just inside the 22 meter line. After a couple of plays and a penalty the Woodsmen scored the go-ahead touch. The game ended 5 minutes later after a bench-clearing brawl that was fueled by a frustrated Gladiator team.
The depression, shame, and anger that accompanies a performance like that sucks the fun and thrill of a morning on the pitch. For the first time I did not want to hang out with the fellas after the game at the pub. My shame kept me from wanting to enjoy the camaraderie and sportsmanship that makes rugby a unique and enjoyable experience. I am better than my performance and despite my improvements in speed and handling I feel I have taken a step backwards in the eyes of my teammates. They want to win, I want to win, and I blew it on Saturday.
Granted, like football, rugby games are rarely lost on one play; but one play can set up the momentum that decides a game. I guess it could be expected from a rookie but I am still not satisfied. Still, I did enjoy myself while playing and I will continue to improve. My new goal is to redeem Saturday's fielding performance and show that I can be a contributor to the team rather than a proverbial albatross around their necks.
